Royal Navy in the Mediterranean 1940-1941 (a) Plus 10 British destroyers at Gibraltar. (b) included 2 new battleships completing. (c) Plus over 60 large torpedo boats. Italy Declared War - Italy declared war on Britain and France on the 10th. Two weeks later France was out of the war. Still on the 10th, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand and South Africa declared war on Italy. France - Later in the month Italian forces invaded southern France but with little success. A Franco-Italian Armistice was signed on the 24th, and included provision for the demilitarisation of French naval bases in the Mediterranean. Malta - Italian aircraft carried out the first of the many raids on Malta on the 11th. Next day, the RAF made its first attacks on Italian mainland targets. 12th -The Mediterranean Fleet with “Warspite”, “Malaya”, “Eagle”, cruisers and destroyers sailed from Alexandria for a sweep against Italian shipping in the Eastern Mediterranean. South of Crete, light cruiser “CALYPSO” was torpedoed and sunk by Italian submarine “Bagnolini”.

13th - Mediterranean Fleet submarines operated out of Alexandria on patrol off Italian bases and soon lost three of their number (1-3). At the time mines were usually blamed, but it turned out Italian anti-submarine forces were far more effective than expected. The first loss was “ODIN” (1) off the Italian coast in the Gulf of Taranto, sunk by the guns and torpedoes of destroyer “Strale”. 16th - The second British submarine “GRAMPUS” (2), minelaying off Augusta, Sicily was caught and sunk by large torpedo boats “Circe” and “Clio”. 17th - Six Italian submarines [1-6] were sunk in the Mediterranean, half by the Royal Navy. However the first to go, “PROVANA” [1] was rammed and sunk off Oran, Algeria by French sloop “La Curieuse” after attacking a French convoy, and just a week before France was forced out of the war.

19th - Towards the other end of the North African coast, the third British loss “ORPHEUS” (3) was sent to the bottom by Italian destroyer “Turbine” north of the Cyrenaica port of Tobruk, soon to become a household name . 20th - The second Italian boat lost in the Mediterranean was “DIAMANTE” [2] torpedoed by submarine “Parthian” off Tobruk. 27th - The second Italian submarine lost was the “LIUZZI” [3] sunk by Med Fleet destroyers “Dainty”, “Ilex”, “Decoy” and the Australian “Voyager” south of Crete. 28th - As the Mediterranean Fleet 7th Cruiser Squadron covered convoy movements in the Eastern Mediterranean, three Italian destroyers carrying supplies between Taranto in southern Italy and Tobruk were intercepted. In a running gun battle, “ESPERO” was sunk by Australian cruiser “Sydney” to the southwest of Cape Matapan at the southern tip of Greece. 28th - The first of two Italian submarines sunk by RAF Sunderlands of No.

230 Sqdn was “ARGONAUTA” [4] in the central Med as she was believed to be returning from patrol off Tobruk 29th - The same Med Fleet destroyers after sinking “Liuzzi” two days earlier, were now southwest of Crete. They repeated their success by sinking “UEBI SCEBELI” [5]. 29th - A day after their first success, the Sunderlands of No. 230 Sqdn sank “RUBINO” [6] in the Ionian Sea as she returned from the Alexandria area British Force H - By the end of the month, Force H had been assembled at Gibraltar from units of the Home Fleet. Vice-Adm Sir James Somerville flew his flag in battlecruiser “Hood” and commanded battleships “Resolution” and “Valiant”, carrier “Ark Royal” and a few cruisers and destroyers. He reported directly to the Admiralty and not to the Commander, North Atlantic. From Gibraltar, Force H could cover the Western Mediterranean and the Atlantic, as happened in the May 1941 hunt for the “Bismarck”.

Units could also quickly transfer back to the Home Fleet and UK waters as shortly became necessary at the height of the German invasion scare. There could be no better example of the flexibility of British naval power at this time. Warship Loss Summary - In a confusing month, the Royal Navy had lost one light cruiser, one destroyer, three submarines and one sloop; the Italian Navy one destroyer and ten submarines, including four in the Red Sea. Merchant Shipping War - Losses in the Mediterranean throughout the war would generally be low as most Allied shipping to and from the Middle East was diverted around the Cape of Good Hope. Monthly Loss Summary 6 British, Allied and neutral ships of 45,000 tons from all causes. JULY 1940 French Navy in the Mediterranean - 3rd - Action at Oran (Operation 'Catapult') - Adm Somerville arrived with Force H off the French Algerian base of Mers-el-Kebir near Oran. French Adm Gensoul was offered a number of choices to ensure his fleet with its four capital ships stayed out of Axis hands. All were turned down and, at around 18.00, Force H opened fire on the anchored ships.

"BRETAGNE" blew up and the "Dunkerque" and "Provence", together with other ships, were badly damaged. Battlecruiser "Strasbourg" and some destroyers managed to break out in spite of attacks by aircraft from "Ark Royal", and reached Toulon in the south of France. Three days later the damaged "Dunkerque" was torpedoed at her moorings by Ark Royal's Swordfish. The tragic and unhappy episode was over as far as Oran was concerned. 4th - A more peaceful solution to the French naval presence was found at Alexandria. Adm Cunningham was able to reach agreement with Adm Godfrey on the demilitarisation of battleship "Lorraine", four cruisers and a number of smaller ships. No action was taken against the French warships at Algiers and Toulon. For the Royal Navy an unhappy but in British eyes, necessary duty had been carried out against our former French allies. French anger and bitterness was understandably considerable. 5th - Obsolescent torpedo-carrying Swordfish from carrier "Eagle's" squadrons flew from land bases on successful attacks against Tobruk and area.

On the 5th, aircraft of 813 Squadron sank Italian destroyer "ZEFFIRO" and a freighter at Tobruk. The success was repeated two weeks later. 9th - Action off Calabria or Battle of Punto Stila (map above) - On the 7th, Adm Cunningham sailed from Alexandria with battleships "Warspite", Malaya", Royal Sovereign", carrier "Eagle", cruisers and destroyers to cover convoys from Malta to Alexandria and to challenge the Italians to action. Next day - the 8th - two Italian battleships, 14 cruisers and 32 destroyers were reported in the Ionian Sea covering a convoy of their own to Benghazi in Libya. Italian aircraft now started five days of accurate high-level bombing (also against Force H out of Gibraltar) and cruiser "Gloucester" was hit and damaged. Mediterranean Fleet headed for a position to cut off the Italians from their base at Taranto. On the 9th, Eagles aircraft failed to find the Italians and first contact was made by a detached cruiser squadron which was soon under fire from the heavier Italian ships.

"Warspite" came up and damaged "Giulio Cesare" with a 15in hit. As the Italian battleships turned away, the British cruisers and destroyers engaged, but with little effect. Mediterranean Fleet pursued to within 50 miles of the south west Italian coast off Calabria before withdrawing. As Adm Cunningham covered the by now delayed convoys to Alexandria, "Eagle's" Swordfish attacked Augusta harbour, Sicily on the 10th. Destroyer "Pancaldo" was torpedoed, but later re-floated and re-commissioned. 11th - Force H, which had put to sea on receiving reports of the Italian fleet, was now returning to Gibraltar, when screening destroyer "ESCORT" was sunk by the Italian submarine "Marconi". 16th - Submarine "PHOENIX" attacked an escorted tanker off Augusta and was lost to depth charges from Italian torpedo boat "Albatros".

19th - Action off Cape Spada (see map below) - Australian cruiser "Sydney" and destroyers "Hasty", "Havock", "Hero", "Hyperion" and "llex" on a sweep into the Aegean Sea were sent to intercept two reported Italian cruisers. Off Cape Spada at the north west tip of Crete, "BARTOLOMEO COLLEONI" was stopped by Sydney's gunfire and finished off with torpedoes from the destroyers. "Bande Nere" managed to escape. 20th - Carrier "Eagle's" Swordfish continued their strikes against Italian targets around Tobruk. In the nearby Gulf of Bomba, 824 Squadron was responsible for sinking destroyers "NEMBO" and "OSTRO" and another freighter. Monthly Loss Summary 2 British, Allied and neutral ships of 7,000 tons STRATEGIC & MARITIME SITUATION - MEDITERRANEAN With the fall of France, Italy continued to dominate the central Mediterranean. The situation in the western basin became difficult, as shipping between Gibraltar and Malta could no longer look to Algeria and Tunis for protection.

At the eastern end, Lebanon and Syria went over to Vichy France and in time endangered Britain's position in the Middle East. At the present, Greece and Crete remained neutral, otherwise enemy aircraft would dominate the Mediterranean Fleet as soon as it left Egyptian waters. This happened when they were occupied by the Germans. The comparatively healthy naval position also changed for the worse. In all except capital ships – seven British to six Italian - the Royal Navy was distinctly inferior in numbers to the Italians, but had its two near-priceless fleet carriers – “Ark Royal” based on Gibraltar, and “Eagle”, later joined by “Illustrious” operating out of Alexandria. They dominated the Mediterranean over the next six months. Fortunately the situation was also helped by the French Fleet staying neutral and out of Axis hands - that is, until its sovereignty was under attack when the French Navy fought back fiercely. The arrival of Force H at Gibraltar went some way to offsetting the loss of French naval power in the Western Mediterranean. AUGUST 1940 1st - Submarine "OSWALD" on patrol south of the Strait of Messina reported Italian Navy movements. She was detected, and later rammed and sunk by destroyer "Vivaldi".

Malta - The decision was taken to reinforce Malta and in Operation 'Hurry', carrier "Argus" flew off 12 Hurricanes from a position southwest of Sardinia. This was the first of many reinforcement and supply operations, often bitterly fought to keep Malta alive and in the fight against Axis supply routes to their armies in North Africa. Now, as in the future, cover from the west was provided by Force H. The opportunity was taken for "Ark Royal's" aircraft to hit Sardinian targets. In the middle of the month, Mediterranean Fleet battleships "Warspite", "Malaya" and "Ramillies" bombarded Italian positions around Bardia in Libya, just over the border from Egypt. 22nd - Land-based Swordfish from "Eagle's" 824 Squadron repeated their July success with another torpedo strike in the Gulf of Bomba near Tobruk. Just as she prepared for a human torpedo attack on Alexandria, submarine "IRIDE" and a depot ship were sunk. 23rd - Heavy mining in the Strait of Sicily by Italian surface ships led to the loss of destroyer "HOSTILE" on passage from Malta to Gibraltar.

Extensive Italian fields in the 'Sicilian Narrows' sank and damaged many Royal Navy ships over the next three years. Monthly Loss Summary 1 ship of 1,000 tons SEPTEMBER 1940 Royal Navy in the Mediterranean - Reinforcements were sent to the Mediterranean Fleet in Alexandria right through until the end of the year. They were covered from Gibraltar by Adm Somerville's Force H, then met in the central basin by Adm Cunningham and escorted the rest of the way. The opportunity was usually taken to carry in supplies of men and material to Malta. Early in September new fleet carrier "Illustrious" with its armoured flight deck, battleship "Valiant" and two cruisers were transferred in this way in Operation 'Hats'. On passage with the new arrivals, aircraft from Force H's "Ark Royal" attacked Sardinian targets. After joining up with carrier "Eagle" and now in the eastern Mad, "Illustrious" sent aircraft against Rhodes. The Italian Fleet sortied during these operations, but failed to make contact. The arrival of "Illustrious" allowed Adm Cunningham to go ahead with his plans to attack the Italian battlefleet at Taranto.

Vichy France - Three French cruisers with accompanying destroyers sailed from Toulon and, on the 11th, passed through the Strait of Gibraltar bound for French West Africa. All but one of the cruisers arrived at Dakar just as Operation 'Menace' was about to get underway. Adm Sir Dudley North, Flag Officer, North Atlantic, at Gibraltar was somewhat unfairly held responsible for allowing their passage. He was relieved of his command and never officially cleared. North Africa - From bases in Libya, Italy invaded Egypt on the 13th. Sollum just over the border was occupied and Sidi Barrani reached on the 16th. There the Italian advance stopped. Neither side made a move until December. 17th - Units of the Mediterranean Fleet including battleship "Valiant" sailed with "Illustrious" for a raid on Benghazi. Swordfish biplanes torpedoed destroyer "BOREA" and mines laid by them off the port sank "AQUILONE". On the return to Alexandria, heavy cruiser "Kent" was detached to bombard Bardia, but torpedoed and badly damaged by Italian aircraft.

22nd - British submarine "Osiris" on patrol in the southern Adriatic attacked a convoy and sank Italian torpedo boat "PALESTRO". 30th - As Italian submarine "GONDAR" approached Alexandria carrying human torpedoes for an attack on the base, she was found by a RAF Sunderland of No 230 Squadron and sunk by Australian destroyer "Stuart". Monthly Loss Summary 2 ships of 6,000 tons OCTOBER 1940 2nd - Mediterranean Fleet destroyers "Havock" and "Hasty" sank Italian submarine "BERILLO" off Sollum the border town between Libya and Egypt. 12th/14th - Attacks on Malta Convoy - From Alexandria a convoy safely reached Malta covered by the Mediterranean Fleet with four battleships and carriers "Illustrious" and "Eagle". As the Fleet returned on the 12th, attacks were made by Italian light forces southeast of Sicily. Cruiser "Ajax" sank Italian torpedo boats "AIRONE" and "ARIEL" and badly damaged destroyer "ARTIGLIERE" which was finished off by heavy cruiser "York".

Later heading back east, the carriers launched air strikes against Leros island in the Dodecanese. On the 14th as the Med Fleet headed for Alexandria, cruiser "Liverpool" was badly damaged by a torpedo hit from Italian aircraft. 15th - On patrol off Calabria, south west Italy in the Ionian Sea, submarine "RAINBOW" was lost in a gun action with the Italian submarine "Enrico Toti". At about this time "TRIAD" was probably mined off the Gulf of Taranto. 18th - Air and sea patrols accounted for two Italian submarines to the east of Gibraltar. On the 18th "DURBO" went down to attacks by destroyers "Firedrake" and "Wrestler" working with RAF London flying boats of No 202 Squadron. 20th - Two days after "Durbo's" sinking, Gibraltar-based destroyers "Gallant", "Griffin" and "Hotspur" accounted for the "LAFOLE". Balkans - On the 28th, the Italians invaded Greece from points in Albania, but were soon driven back. Fighting continued on Albanian soil until April 1941.

Monthly Loss Summary 1 ship of 3,000 tons NOVEMBER 1940 11th - Fleet Air Arm Attack on Taranto, Operation 'Judgement' - Early in the month a complex series of reinforcement and supply moves (1-5, map above) mounted from both ends of the Mediterranean led to the classic air attack on the Italian battlefleet at Taranto (6). (1) From Alexandria, Adm Cunningham, with battleships "Malaya", "Ramillies", Valiant" and "Warspite", carrier "Illustrious", cruisers and destroyers, sailed to cover west-bound convoys to Crete and Malta. Aircraft carrier "Eagle" had to be left behind because of defects caused by earlier bombing. (2) From Gibraltar, Force H in a separate operation called "Coat" supported the east-bound passage of battleship "Barham", two cruisers and three destroyers to reinforce the Mediterranean Fleet. (3) Troop reinforcements were also carried to Malta at this time from Gibraltar. (4) Still in the eastern half of the Med, Adm Cunningham's Fleet met its new members and covered the return of an empty ship convoy from Malta.

(5) On the 11th a cruiser force was detached for a successful attack on Italian shipping in the Strait of Otranto at the entrance to the Adriatic Sea. (6) "Illustrious" meanwhile, escorted by cruisers and destroyers, headed for a position in the Ionian Sea 170 miles to the southeast of Taranto. All six battleships of the Italian Navy were at anchor there. That night she launched two waves of Swordfish biplanes, some belonging to "Eagle". Under the command of Lt-Cdrs K. Williamson and J. W. Hale, the total of no more than 20 aircraft of Number 813, 815, 819 and 824 Squadrons hit "CONTE DI CAVOUR" and "CAIO DIULIO" with one torpedo each and the brand new "LITTORIA" with three. All three battleships sank at their moorings and "Cavour" was never recommissioned, all for the loss of just two Swordfish. The Japanese Navy studied the attack carefully, as Pearl Harbor learnt to its cost just a year later.

27th - Action off Cape Spartivento, Southern Sardinia - A fast convoy under the codename Operation 'Collar' sailed eastward from Gibraltar with ships for Malta and Alexandria. Cover as usual was provided by Force H with battlecruiser "Renown", carrier "Ark Royal", cruisers "Despatch" and "Sheffield". Meanwhile, units of the Mediterranean Fleet including "Ramillies" and cruisers "Newcastle", "Berwick" and "Coventry" headed west for a position south of Sardinia to meet them. Other ships accompanied the two Mediterranean Fleet carriers in separate attacks on Italian targets - "Eagle" on Tripoli, Libya and "Illustrious" on Rhodes off the southwest Turkish coast. These moves took place on the 26th. Next day, on the 27th, south of Sardinia, aircraft of Force H's "Ark Royal" sighted an Italian force with two battleships and seven heavy cruisers. Force H, now joined by the Med Fleet's "Ramillies", sailed to meet them.

In an hour-long exchange of gunfire "Renown" and the cruisers were in action, during which time "Berwick" was damaged and an Italian destroyer badly hit. The slower "Ramillies" had not come up by the time the Italians had turned back for home. Adm Somerville pursued, but as he approached Italian shores had to turn back himself. The convoys arrived safely. Adm Somerville was later subjected to a board of enquiry for not continuing the pursuit of the Italian force, but was soon exonerated. Balkans - As the Greek Army pushed back the Italians into Albania, RAF squadrons were sent from Egypt to Greece and the Royal Navy carried over the first Australian, British and New Zealand troops by cruiser. Mediterranean Fleet established an advance base at Suda Bay on the north coast of Crete. Monthly Loss Summary There were no British or Allied shipping losses in November 1940. DECEMBER 1940 Late November/early December - Submarines "REGULUS" and "TRITON" were lost in late November or early December, possibly mined in the Strait of Otranto area at the southern end of the Adriatic Sea.

Alternatively "Regulus" may have been sunk by Italian aircraft on 26th November. 3rd - At anchor in the poorly defended Suda Bay, cruiser "Glasgow" was hit by two torpedoes from Italian aircraft and badly damaged. North Africa - Gen Wavell launched the first British offensive on the 9th against the Italian forces in Egypt. Sidi Barrani was captured on the 10th and by the end of the month British and Dominion troops had entered Libya for the first time. The offensive continued until February by which time El Agheila, half way across Libya and well on the way to Tripoli, had been reached. Italian losses in men and material were considerable. Units of the Mediterranean Fleet including the small ship Inshore Squadron and the Australian Destroyer Flotilla played an important part in supporting and supplying the North African land campaign. On the 13th, cruiser "Coventry" was torpedoed by Italian submarine "Neghelli", but remained operational.

14th - Also operating in support of the land campaign, destroyers "Hereward" and "Hyperion" sank Italian submarine "NAIADE" off Bardia, Libya just over the Egyptian border Mediterranean Operations - Another series of convoy and offensive operations were carried out by the Mediterranean Fleet with battleships "Warspite", "Valiant "and carrier "Illustrious". On the 17th carrier aircraft attacked Rhodes and on the night of the 18th/19th the two battleships bombarded Valona, Albania. At the same time, battleship "Malaya" passed through to the west for Gibraltar. On the way, escorting destroyer "HYPERION" hit a nine near Cape Bon, northeast tip of Tunisia on the 22nd and had to be scuttled. "Malaya" carried on to meet up with Force H. The German Luftwaffe's X Fliegerkorps - including Ju87 Stuka dive-bombers - was ordered to Sicily and southern Italy to bolster the Italian Air Force.

Mediterranean Theatre after Seven Months - A total of nine Royal Navy submarines had been lost since June in the Mediterranean, a poor exchange for the sinking of 10 Italian merchantmen of 45,000 tons. Most of the submarines were the large, older boats transferred from the Far East and unsuited to the waters of the Mediterranean. In the same time the Italians had lost 18 submarines from all causes throughout the Mediterranean and Red Sea areas. Mussolini's claimed domination of the Mediterranean had not been apparent. In spite of the loss of French naval power, Force H and the Mediterranean Fleet had more than held the Italian Navy in check. Malta had been supplied and reinforced, and the British offensive in North Africa was underway. Elsewhere, the Greeks were driving the Italians back into Albania and away to the south the Italian East African Empire was about to be wound up. However, it was now only a matter of months and even weeks before the Luftwaffe appeared in Sicily, Gen Rommel in North Africa and the German Army in Greece, followed by Paratroops in Crete Monthly Loss Summary There were no British or Allied shipping losses in December.

1941 JANUARY 1941 North Africa - As the British advance continued into Libya, Bardia was taken on the 5th. Australian troops captured Tobruk on the 22nd and Derna, further west by the end of the month. The Royal Navy's Inshore Squadron played an important part in the campaign - bombarding shore targets, carrying fuel, water and supplies, and evacuating wounded and prisoners of war. Air War - Hurricane fighters, transported to Takoradi in West Africa, started to arrive in Egypt after flying across the continent. They too played their part in the North African offensive. RAF Wellingtons raided Naples and damaged Italian battleship "Giulio Cesare". 6th-11th - Malta Convoy "Excess" - Another complex series of convoy and ship movements (1-6) revolving around Malta led to carrier "Illustrious" being badly damaged and the Royal Navy losing its comparative freedom of operation in the Eastern Mediterranean. This followed the arrival in Sicily of the German Luftwaffe's X Fliegerkorps. (1) On the 6th, convoy 'Excess' left Gibraltar for Malta and Greece covered by Gibraltar-based Force H.

(2) At the same time the Mediterranean Fleet from Alexandria prepared to cover supply ships to Malta and (3) bring out empty ones. (4) Mediterranean Fleet cruisers "Gloucester" and "Southampton" carried troop reinforcements to Malta and then (5) carried on west to meet 'Excess'. (6) Force H returned to Gibraltar. By the 10th, 'Excess' had reached the Strait of Sicily and was attacked by Italian torpedo boats. "VEGA" was sunk by escorting cruiser "Bonaventure" and destroyer "Hereward". As the Mediterranean Fleet including "Illustrious" met the convoy off the Italian-held island of Pantelleria, screening destroyers "GALLANT" hit a mine. Towed back to Malta, she was not re-commissioned and finally wrecked by bombing over a year later in April 1942. Still west of Malta, heavy attacks by German and Italian aircraft were launched. "Illustrious" was singled out and hit six times by Ju87 and Ju88 bombers. Only the armoured flight deck saved her from total destruction as she struggled into Malta with 200 casualties.

There, under continual attack, she was repaired temporarily and left on the 23rd for Alexandria. Sister-ship "Formidable" was sent out to replace her via the Cape of Good Hope, but it was some weeks before she reached the Eastern Mediterranean. On the 11th, the empty return Malta/Alexandria convoy was proceeding eastwards, with cruisers "Gloucester" and "Southampton" sailing from Malta to join up when they were attacked by German aircraft to the east of Malta. "SOUTHAMPTON" was bombed and sunk, "Gloucester" damaged. All merchantmen reached their destinations safely, but at a cost of a cruiser and destroyer, and the loss of "Illustrious'" vital air power. 19th - Destroyer Greyhound, escorting a convoy to Greece, sank Italian submarine "NEGHELLI" in the Aegean Sea Monthly Loss Summary No British, Allied or neutral merchant ships were lost in the Mediterranean. FEBRUARY 1941 North Africa - Benghazi and British armoured forces crossed the Libyan desert to a point south of cut off the retreating Italians. The resulting Battle of Beda Fomm starting on the 5th inflicted heavy losses.

Australian troops captured the major port of Benghazi at the same time, and by the 9th El Agheila was reached. There the advance stopped. Large numbers of British and Dominion troops were now withdrawn for transfer to Greece, just as the first units of the Afrika Korps under Gen Rommel arrived in Tripoli. 9th - Force H Attack in the Gulf of Genoa - "Ark Royal," "Renown" and "Malaya" sailed right up into the Gulf of Genoa, northwest Italy. The big ships bombarded the city of Genoa while "Ark Royal's" aircraft bombed Leghorn and laid mines off Spezia, all on the 9th. An Italian battlefleet sortied but failed to make contact. 24th - Destroyer "DAINTY" escorting supplies to Tobruk with the Inshore Squadron, was sunk off the port by German Ju87 Stukas. 25th - On patrol off the east coast of Tunisia, submarine "Upright" torpedoed and sank Italian cruiser "ARMANDO DIAZ" covering a convoy from Naples to Tripoli. Monthly Loss Summary 2 British or Allied merchant ships of 8,000 tons.

MARCH 1941 Greece - In the space of three weeks in March, 60,000 British and Dominion troops were carried from North Africa to Greece, escorted by the Royal Navy (Operation 'Lustre'). 6th - Italian submarine "ANFITRITE" attacked a troop convoy east of Crete and was sunk by escorting destroyer "Greyhound". 26th - At anchor in Suda Bay, northern Crete, heavy cruiser "YORK" was badly damaged by Italian explosive motor boats and beached. She was later wrecked by bombing and abandoned when Crete was evacuated in May. 28th - Mines laid by submarine "Rorqual" west of Sicily on the 25th, sank two Italian supply ships the next day and torpedo boat "CHINOTTO" on the 28th. 28th - Battle of Cape Matapan (map above) - As ships of the Mediterranean Fleet covered troop movements to Greece, 'Ultra' intelligence was received reporting the sailing of an Italian battlefleet with one battleship, six heavy and two light cruisers plus destroyers to attack the convoy routes.

On the 27th, Vice-Adm Pridham-Wippell with cruisers "Ajax", "Gloucester", "Orion" and the Australian "Perth" and destroyers sailed from Greek waters for a position south of Crete. Adm Cunningham with carrier "Formidable" and battleships "Warspite", "Barham" and "Valiant "left Alexandria on the same day to meet the cruisers. Around 08.30 on the 28th, south of Crete, Adm Pridham-Wippell was in action with an Italian cruiser squadron. Just before noon he found himself between them and the battleship "Vittorio Veneto" which had now come up. An attack by Swordfish from "Formidable" failed to hit the Italian battleship, but enabled the British cruisers to extricate themselves. Mediterranean Fleet heavy units arrived, but their only chance of action was to slow down the Italians before they could reach Italy. A second Swordfish strike at around 15.00 hit and slowed down "Vittorio Veneto", but only for a short while.

At 19.30 a third strike southwest of Cape Matapan stopped heavy cruiser "Pola". All this time, RAF aircraft were attacking but without success. Later that evening (still on the 28th), two more heavy cruisers - "Fiume" and "Zara with four destroyers were detached to help "Pola". Before reaching her, Adm Cunningham's ships detected them by radar and "FIUME", "ZARA" and destroyers "ALFIERI" and "CARDUCCI" were crippled by the close range gunfire of "Barham", "Valiant" and "Warspite". All four Italians were finished off by four destroyers led by the Australian "Stuart". Early next morning on the 29th, "POLA" was found, partly abandoned. After taking off the remaining crew, destroyers "Jervis" and "Nubian" sank her with torpedoes. The Royal Navy lost one aircraft. 31st - Continuing her successes, "Rorqual" torpedoed and sank submarine "CAPPONI" off northeast Sicily.

31st - Cruiser "BONAVENTURE" with a Mediterranean Fleet cruiser force escorting a convoy from Greece to Egypt, was torpedoed and sunk to the southeast of Crete by Italian submarine Ambra. Yugoslavia - On the 25th Yugoslavia joined the Tripartite Pact, but two days later an anti-Nazi coup toppled the Government. North Africa - In command of German and Italian troops, Gen Rommel started his first offensive with the capture of El Agheila on the 24th. Within three weeks the British and Dominion forces were back in Sollum on the Egyptian side of the border. Malta - Late in the month a small Malta convoy sailed from the east covered by the Mediterranean Fleet. These were the first supplies to arrive since the January 'Excess' operation. In the intervening two months Malta had been heavily attacked by the Axis air forces hoping to neutralise the island as a base for air and sea attacks against the supply routes to Libya. Monthly Loss Summary 13th November 1941: HMS Ark Royal sunk November 1941 HMS Ark Royal sunk The aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal had survived many attacks including being bombed by Italian aircraft following the Battle of Cape Spartivento.

After being torpedoed on the 13th November 1941 HMS Ark Royal rapidly developed a severe list. The aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal had been reported sunk many times by German propaganda and had survived many near misses, including a bombing attack following the Battle of Cape Spartivento . She had played a crucial role in the sinking of the Bismarck . There were huge risks involved in operating in the Mediterranean, with the almost constant threat of aircraft and U-boats. These risks had been accepted for the latest operation – when Ark Royal had been engaged in flying off more aircraft to re-inforce Malta. It was on the return journey when she was within sight of Gibraltar that she was finally torpedoed by U-81 at 1534: When the torpedo struck most of the ship’s company were below decks, working in the hangars, or on watch in the machinery spaces and other compartments. Men off duty were in their messes having tea. Everything was as it had been hundreds of times before. Without any warning the ship was shaken by a violent convulsion. Decks seemed to whip like springboards.

Some of the lights went out and in places near the seat of the explosion smoke gushed from the ventilating trunks. After a very short pause the ship began to heel to starboard, so quickly that at first she seemed to be turning right over. The torpedo had exploded abreast of the bridge on the starboard side. Here, many decks down and below the waterline, four men were on watch in the lower steering position, main switchboard room and main telephone exchange. The concussion was extremely violent. The lights went out, oil gushed in, and fumes half choked them as they groped in pitch darkness, up to their waists in a mixture of fuel and water, for the hatch leading to the compartment above. Three men escaped, but Able Seaman E. Mitchell was never seen again. …. Captain Maund was on the flight-deck when he felt his ship shudder violently and saw smoke pouring from the bomb-lift doors. As he made for the bridge he thought at first there might have been an internal explosion, as none of the seven screening destroyers had reported a contact.

In the very short time it took him to reach the bridge the ship had already listed some ten degrees to starboard, or rather more than the heel of a particularly heavy roll. His first thought was to take the way off the ship (she was steaming at twenty-two knots), so as to avoid spreading the damage unnecessarily, and to send his crew to action stations; but all communications between the bridge and the rest ofthe ship were severed-no telephone would work, the broadcaster was silent and the engine-toom telegraphs jammed. Action stations were soon ordered by bugle and word of mouth, but some minutes elapsed before a verbal order passed to the machinery control-room reversed the engines and brought the ship to rest. See War at Sea 1939-45: S.W Roskill The destroyer HMS Legion came alongside and took off almost 1500 men whilst a group stayed on board attempting to prevent her sinking. A valiant battle to control the flooding was fought below decks in order to bring Ark Royal to a state where she might be towed back to Gibraltar. It was a losing battle and all the men who stayed on board were evacuated the following day just before Ark Royal sank.

{ 20 comments… read them below or add one } Stuart Cakebread August 25, 2016 at 1:50 pm My uncle, Bernard Cakebread remained on the Ark as a volunteer and was one of the last to leave. Said he only volunteered because he was standing next to the captain when he asked for volunteers. Went on to be commissioned and commanded a mine sweeper in the North Sea stationed in Scotland. Joni Rabena May 15, 2016 at 7:48 pm Hi, I am hoping that someone might see this and could help with additional information. I see that an Edmond Mitchell died in the November 1941 torpedoing of the Ark Royal. He was about 40 years of age and left behind a widow.

If anyone can help with additional information, please contact me at joni@mcburney.ca Thank you, Joni Rabena Stephen Carey December 10, 2015 at 6:08 pm Just watched the film of the discovery of the wreck; aided by a group of survivors; the Swordfish pilot who torpedoed Bismarck and landed on Ark’s flight deck one last time, the Fulmar pilot who was the last to leave her as she sank (see daughter’s post above), and the stoker who stayed on board in the flooded engine room and managed to get a boiler going, power on and a screw turning. What amazing guys. Jason M. Pilalas June 29, 2015 at 8:20 pm In these days of Defence Reviews and continuing press on expenditures it’s interesting to reflect that similar economies played a role in HMS ARK ROYAL’s loss. To save money the ship was designed without an alternative source of electrical power, I.e. diesel generators. Thus a single torpedo was sufficient to sink her because it disabled the boilers and thus all power for the pumps, auxiliaries, lighting, etc.

Progressive flooding, otherwise easily contained, overwhelmed damage control limited by the cheapness of the design, and down she went. Bureaucrats far removed from danger can (and do) establish the preconditions for defeat with a few strokes of the calculator. Bev Bailey February 4, 2015 at 11:56 am My father, Val Bailey (Fleet Air Arm) was the last man off the Ark Royal before she sunk. We have a letter from a senior crew member replying to one my father had written to him in 1985, confirming this and saying ‘you have aroused my conscience again! When the Ark sank, the 1st Lieut and I scoured the ship or thought we had, saw the Captain over the side and into a tug, and then slid down a rope ourselves into the same tug. Shortly afterwards, the ship capsized and the party on the forecastle, whom we had completely forgotten, found themselves in the drink.’ Royal Navy losses in World War 2 - Aircraft Carriers 11.

EAGLE , 22,600 tons, 24 knots, 20 aircraft, 750 crew plus aircrew, 1920, lost: EAGLE (Capt L D Mackintosh), 11th August 1942, Western Mediterranean, north of Algiers, Algeria (38.05N, 03.02E) ï¿½ torpedoed by German ï¿½U.73ï¿½ (Rosenbaum). Providing air cover for Gibraltar/Malta convoy 'Pedestal'; 159 men lost out a wartime crew of 1,160 ( Casualty List ) ( Mediterranean - Malta Convoys) 12. HERMES - 10,800 tons, 25 knots, 15 aircraft, 660 crew plus aircrew, 1923, lost: HERMES (Capt R F Onslow+), 9th April 1942, Indian Ocean off south east coast of Ceylon (07.35N, 82.05E) - by Japanese carrier dive-bombers.

Part of British Eastern Fleet returning to Trincomalee; 293 crew lost ( Casualty List ) (Japanese Conquests - Carrier Attacks on Ceylon) 14. Courageous class, 2 ships - 22,500 tons, 30 knots, 48 aircraft, 1,200 crew, 1928/30, both lost: COURAGEOUS (Capt W T Makeig-Jones+), 17th September 1939, North Atlantic, south west of Ireland (50.10N, 14.45W) - torpedoed by German ï¿½U.29ï¿½ (Schuhart). On anti-U-boat patrol with destroyer screen in Western Approaches to British Isles; 520 men including 36 RAF personnel lost ( Casualty List ) ( Battle of the Atlantic).

GLORIOUS (Capt G D'Oyly-Hughes+), 8th June 1940, Western Europe, west of Lofoten Islands in Norwegian Sea (c69.00N, 05.00E) - by 11in gunfire of German battlecruisers 'Scharnhorst' and 'Gneisenau'. Sailing independently from northern Norway at end of Allied evacuation; 1,159 crew and 59 RAF personnel sailing from Norway were lost. There were 39 RN and 3 RAF survivors, of whom 3 died. Escorting destroyers Acasta and Ardent also sunk ( Casualty List ) (Norwegian Campaign) 15.

ARK ROYAL - 22,000 tons, 31 knots, 60 aircraft, 1,570 crew, 1938, lost: ARK ROYAL (Capt L E Maund), 14th November 1941, foundered in tow in Western Mediterranean, 30 miles east of Gibraltar - by 1 torpedo on the 13th from German ï¿½U.81ï¿½ (Guggenberger) in 36.03N, 04.45W. Returning with Force H to Gibraltar after ferrying Hurricane fighters within flying range of Malta; 1 man killed. ( Casualty List ) ( Mediterranean - Battle for Malta) HMS Ark Royal (NavyPhotos/Ben Titheridge) 16. Illustrious class, FORMIDABLE , ILLUSTRIOUS , IMPLACABLE , INDEFATIGABLE, INDOMITABLE , VICTORIOUS , 6 ships - 23,000 tons, 31 knots, 36+ aircraft, 1,400 crew, 1940-44 17.

UNICORN , built as aircraft maintenance ship - 14,700 tons, 24 knots, 35 aircraft, 1,200 crew, 1943 18. Colossus class, COLOSSUS , GLORY , OCEAN, PIONEER, VENERABLE , VENGEANCE , 6 ships completed by war's end - 13,200 tons, 25 knots, 40 aircraft, 1,300 crew, 1944-45. 'Pioneer' commissioned as aircraft maintenance ship 19. AUDACITY - 11,000 tons deep load, 15 knots, 6 aircraft, 1941. Ex-German prize 'Hannover', lost: AUDACITY (Cdr D W MacKendrick+), 21st December 1941, North Atlantic, NE of Azores (43.55N, 19.50W) - torpedoed by German ï¿½U.751 (Bigalk).

Providing air cover for Gibraltar/UK convoy HG.76; 73 men lost ( Casualty List ) ( Battle of the Atlantic) HMS Audacity (CyberHeritage, no enlargement) 20. Archer class, ARCHER , AVENGER , BITER , DASHER , (CHARGER), 5 ships built in US - 8,200 tons, 17 knots, 15 aircraft, 550 crew, 1941-42. 'Charger' retained by US Navy as training ship, 2 lost: AVENGER (Capt A P Colthurst), 15th November 1942, North Atlantic off the Strait of Gibraltar (36.15N, 07.45W) - torpedoed by German ï¿½U.155ï¿½ (Piening).

Providing air cover for return North Africa/UK convoy MKF.1 following Operation 'Torch'; 504 crew lost, 17 saved ( Casualty List ) ( French North Africa Campaign) DASHER (Capt L A Boswell), 27th March 1943, Western Europe, 5 miles south of Cumbraes Island in Firth of Clyde, SW Scotland - by aviation gasoline explosion. Working up after repairs to storm-damage sustained during Russian convoy JW.53 the previous month; 358 crew lost, 149 saved ( Casualty List ) ( following Russian Convoy) HMS Archer (NavyPhotos) 21. Attacker class, ATTACKER , BATTLER , CHASER , FENCER , HUNTER , PURSUER , STALKER , STRIKER , 8 ships all built in US, none lost - 11,400 tons, 17 knots, 18 aircraft, 650 crew, 1942-43 HMS Battler (NavyPhotos) 22.

Ruler class, AMEER , ARBITER , ATHELING , BEGUM , EMPEROR , EMPRESS , KHEDIVE , NABOB , PATROLLER , PREMIER , PUNCHER , QUEEN , RAJAH , RANEE , RAVAGER , REAPER , RULER , SEARCHER , SHAH , SLINGER , SMITER , SPEAKER , THANE , TRACKER , TROUNCER , TRUMPETER , 26 ships all built in US - 11,400 tons, 17 knots, 24 aircraft, 650 crew, 1943-44 (some sources include 'Ravager', 'Searcher' and 'Tracker' in 'Attacker' class), 2 not repaired: NABOB (RCN-manned) (Capt H N Lay RCN), damaged 22nd August 1944, Arctic Ocean, north west of North Cape in Barents Sea (71.42N, 19.11E) - torpedoed by German ï¿½U.354ï¿½ (Sthamer).

With Home Fleet covering Fleet Air Arm attack on the 'Tirpitz' in Altenfiord, Norway and also Russian convoy JW.59. Not repaired and laid up; 21 crew lost ( Casualty List ) ( Russian Convoys) THANE (Capt E R J Baker), damaged 15th January, 1945, Western Europe, off Clyde Light Vessel in Firth of Clyde, SW Scotland (55.08N, 05.25W) - torpedoed by German ï¿½U.1172ï¿½ (Kuhlmann). (Originally credited to ï¿½U.482ï¿½ which had already been lost). Believed ferrying aircraft from Northern Ireland to Britain. Not repaired and laid up; 10 crew lost ( Casualty List ) ( Battles of Britain - U-boat Inshore Campaign). HMS Arbiter (NavyPhotos) 23.

British-built Escort carriers adapted from merchant ship hulls, ACTIVITY , CAMPANIA , NAIRANA , VINDEX , 4 ships built in Britain - circa 12,000 tons, 17 knots, 15 aircraft, 700 crew, 1942-44 Oil or grain bulk cargo carriers with superstructures removed and flight decks added. Manned by Merchant Navy crews, with Fleet Air Arm personnel to maintain and fly the aircraft - mainly A/S Swordfish and Sea Hurricanes. The ships flew the Red Ensign and some aircraft carried ï¿½Merchant Navyï¿½ instead of ï¿½Royal Navyï¿½ on their fuselage. 25. Empire class Grain Carriers, EMPIRE MacALPINE, EMPIRE MacKENDRICK, EMPIRE MacANDREW, EMPIRE MacDERMOTT, EMPIRE MacRAE, EMPIRE MacCALLUM, 7 ships - 8,000 tons, 12 knots, 4 aircraft, crew not known, launched December 1942-January 1944. Equipped with hangar and lift 26.

Empire Class Oil Tankers, EMPIRE MacKAY, EMPIRE MacCOLL, EMPIRE MacMAHON, EMPIRE MacCABE, 4 ships - 9,000 tons, 12 knots, 3 aircraft, crew not known, launched May-July 1943. No hangar and lift; aircraft stored and maintained on deck 27. Rapana Class Oil Tankers, ACAVUS, ADULA, ALEXIA, AMASTRA, ANCYLUS, GADILA, MACOMA, MIRALDA, RAPANA, 9 ships - 12,000 tons, 12 knots, 3 aircraft, crew not known, converted 1942-44. Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company tankers. ï¿½Gadilaï¿½ and ï¿½Macomaï¿½ operated under the Dutch ensign. No hangar and lift; aircraft stored and maintained on deck. Ordinary merchant ships fitted with a rocket driven catapult on the forecastle.

They carried one Mk1(a) Hurricane with minimum modifications and flown by volunteer RAF pilots, were known as Sea Hurricanes, ï¿½Catafightersï¿½ or ï¿½Hurricatsï¿½. Quickly put into service in 1941 before the first escort carriers appeared with the aim of driving off or shooting down German bombers and reconnaissance aircraft, particularly Focke Wulf Condors. Once flown off the pilot usually had to ditch and hope to be picked up, or make for the nearest friendly shore. The first ships were requisitioned for Naval Service as Auxiliary Fighter Catapult Ships and sailed under the White Ensign. Later CAM-ships were merchantmen. According to Cdr Rippon in ï¿½Evolution of Engineering in the Royal Navyï¿½, Volume 2, some 35 CAM-ships made about 175 voyages in two years - twelve were lost, eight catapult launchings were made, six enemy aircraft shot down and one RAF pilot lost.

Requisitioned Auxiliary Fighter Catapult Ships included ï¿½Ariguaniï¿½, ï¿½Maplinï¿½ and two more, which were lost in 1941: PATIA, (5,350t, completed 1922, Cdr D M B Baker RNR+), lost 27th April 1941, Western Europe, near 20G Buoy, Coquet Island, off Northumberland, NE coast of England - German bombers, 40 crew lost. SPRINGBANK (5,150t, completed 1926, Capt C H Godwin), lost 27th September 1941, North Atlantic (49.10N, 20.05W) - torpedoed by German ï¿½U.201ï¿½ (Schnee); 32 crew lost.

Question: What was the name of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier that was sunk by a German U-boat in the Mediterranean Sea in November 1941?
Answer: H.M.S. ARK ROYAL